Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-25
4 Gard from TIE Richmond Must
clans.

n {
clans.
TO the Editor of the Dispatch:
The recent publications in the Rich
mond papers and New York musical
journals in regard to the rupture he
tween the Mozart Association and is
orchestra demands some notice at our
hands.
It must at once strike the publis
mind that the statements emanating
from the Music Committee of the asso-
citation are nothing less than defence
OF selfaccusatiOn, Tor while the mem
boTs OF the orchestra have keenly feiJ
their grievances not one word has ever
been uttered through the press III van
dication of their conduct.
@ pui the matter iu an appleclable light T.
may Is necessary 90 revert back TO ths eariy
history OF tho Mozart Association when Ia 'y
were known IS tie fOUrth-Srect iOrriDlet, d. {
bhich timo the membership consisted alllf :
entirely of the prCfcs.i0na musicians 0f q. *
city. q large majority Of whom were menbe. 3
Ot the iatc NOZait orchestra.
As time WcntOn and the association prOmls'
% be SUCCESS, the musicians were prOmi1" +,
IN consideration Of the fact that 10 them va
largely duo the success OF the enterprise, tht :
arising lhCreirCm thata tho eud OF each ycar.
after dcducting the expenses Cf running th 9
association. the accumulation In the trea5ur 2
was 20 he divided among The musicians. Il IS
useless % toll any OF the Oh members 0f q
association that that promise was never fIl-
filed. The $4,000 structure on Eighth street Nil
0ttsst mat tact.
FOR more than a year the musicians reu-
dcred services without compensation, and io~
many years after-up % about seventeen
fnr "a
nal salary. bolstcred up All these years with me
promise that tho salaries would eventually DO
made 20 coDfcrm 70 what was received By mt
sirfqns for similar services elsewhere. On tn q
1T OF January. 1s66, when the new hall was
finished and occupied BY the association, the
salaries we're Increased 20 an average Of about
Is ger cent, tut an additional rehearsal was re-
Quifed. which increased TIE work OF tho mlsi-
,1an- 33 per cent. Nc musicians accepted the
situation, and 20 continued until the lst Of last
June, when, az the earnest solicitation Of the
Music Committee, they alleging that the ass p
Ciation vas financially mDarassei, SUD
niitfd 10 reduction IN their salaries o! 5;
Der cent. for four months with the promise,
express and implied, that tho salaries would b.
restored on the lst OK October, lss7. As the 1T
II October approached, and the association
ending, a. they allege. that they could nJt
make good their promise. requested she Or.
chcstra 10 continue indefinitely at the aD5uriiy
low pay that trey had been receiving for tl3
past four mouths. tho musicians, hu1lng frOia
the experience Of the past four months. TINT %
comply with he request Of tho ass0ciation
would involve sacrifices which they could III AZ
ford TO bcsr, felt compelled % decline.
From the aforementioned report oi the Mu-
SIC Committee, many Of the public whether
that report warranted IL or not have been i'm
pressed with the idea that the musicians are 10
blame for the misf0rtunes Of the association
We shouldered aud carried them for foIr
months. Was this ingratitule7 II we had ua-
GeItakcu 20 do go indefinitely, We would soon
have found that We would have had no " broaf
and butter" 70 "qUarrel witn.'
Now. as 10 a charge Of intimidation alleged
against US. The action Of the union In la-
cludIng The Mozart Association within ~ iuris-
dicticn was done simply IN justice - tle lafse
number Of other potrOas. the union musicians
having Withdrawn from the association maze
it no Ion ser necessary % make this exception
In It's favor. The law iOrbiddlng mombcrs oi
the anton playing wish n0n-mem bers mas bsea
a law Of ElO union since its Organization, ana
the Mozart Association wGs excepted because II
the relations existing between Il aud the pro-
fessiOnal and amateur musicians at the tlla9 "
tho organization OF the union.
The four amateur members of the unioo
who wished 10 resign rendered their resigua.
tons, and they have been accepted. and theic
allegiance 10 tho union 6nnulled. II the ai-
thor Of the article which appeared In las SIn-
days issne OF the Hhig. and copied from o
New York masic Journal had bottar Informed
himself in regard 70 tbis matter (Which %
could have doue) bis position woald apDeIr
lcss silly 70 Intelligent meu.
Unfortunately for tho musician, the world
ses ns 20 regard bis profession - Oae OF pa
time; q % any compensation he may recelFt,
however small, Is more than adeQuats 70 tto
service he may render. IL Is not generally
knowu hat tho yoang student of music, eTea
tlongd no be an apt scholar, requires from
four 10 six years OF close application be-
fore be . able % command An income from
bis profession, and 70 maintain his groand
after he has acquired bis profession he must
practice rye times as much IN private as ne
plays IA public. Hts profession, then, Is bis
stock 10 trade, hts wherow.thil 70 live, AMI Is
hot for sale 81 ~ per cenL On.
In conclusion, We would say that II Il with
rsluclance that We Gnd II necess 1ry 70 reply 10
the many and uniust assaults gpou the course
pursued by VA We invite no controversy.
What We have written are facts--undeniable
iacia-and IN anticipation of anything that may
hereafter be said 20 the coauary
This communication Is endorsed by the
memeers Of the late Mozart orchastca
ii. y. IACBa.
President Rlchmond Musical Protective Union.